Little Feat

The Indomitable Little Feat Brought together by Lowell George and Bill Payne in 1969, Little Feat unites California rock, funk, jazz, country, and New Orleans swamp boogie into a rich gumbo that has been making people dance ever since. They were quickly signed by Warner Bros. and began working on the first of twelve albums with that venerable company. The first album, Little Feat, featured the instant-classic tune “Willin’,” and the follow-up Sailin’ Shoes added “Easy to Slip,” “Tripe Face Boogie,” “Cold Cold Cold” and the title track to their repertoire. Paul Barrére, Kenny Gradney (bass), and Sam Clayton (percussion), joined up, and the latter two remain rock-solid members of Feat’s rhythm section. 1973’s Dixie Chicken gave them the title track and the truly great “Fat Man in the Bathtub.” Their career to that point was summed up with the live Waiting for Columbus, one of the best live rock albums ever. Fifty years on the road cost them Lowell George, then Richie Hayward and Paul Barrére, but the music has carried them forward. Little Feat in 2021 is: Bill Payne, Keyboards and Voc.; Sam Clayton, Percussion and Voc.; Fred Tackett, Guitars and Voc., Kenny Gradney, Bass; Scott Sharrard, Guitars and Voc.; and Tony Leone, drums. They will return to the stage in November. Fifty years on, they’ve been up and they’ve been down and they know where they belong—on stage playing for you. The end is not in sight.